The present invention relates to a novel method for decreasing the allergenicity of psyllium seed husk.
Psyllium is a known mucilaginous material which has been used extensively in bulk laxatives. More recently, psyllium has been found to have a hypocholesterolemic effect if ingested by humans and lower animals.
The source of psyllium is the seeds from the plants of the Plantago genus, which grows in certain sub-tropical regions. The seeds are dark brown, smooth, boat-shaped and shiny. Since it is believed by those skilled in the art that the active ingredient of psyllium is the psyllium seed gum, which is located primarily in the seed husk, present technology uses the ground seed husk as the source for psyllium.
Generally, integral psyllium seeds are coarsely ground with crude grinding equipment in India and sub-tropical regions where the psyllium seeds originate in an attempt to separate the outermost husk material from the underlying pigmented seed coat layer of the psyllium seeds. In this crude grinding process, particles of various size from these layers end up mixed with one another as a function of the grinding process. Because of the type and condition of the grinding equipment and variability in the physical dimensions of the psyllium seeds themselves, it is common to have discreet pieces of the seed coat mixed in with the husk material.
Various methods and apparatus for obtaining high purity mucilage or husk material from psyllium seeds have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,613 discloses complex apparatus for producing powdered psyllium seed husk including a plurality of impact grinding steps.
It has now been discovered that the seed coat material from psyllium seeds in general is high in protein content and contains specific protein fractions which contain allergens. The present invention provides a novel, convenient and simple method for physically separating psyllium seed husk into fractions ranging from very low to very high levels of allergenicity.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for decreasing the allergenicity of psyllium seed husk.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for physically separating coarsely ground psyllium seed husk into at least two fractions of different allergenicity.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a larger particle size fraction of psyllium seed husk having lower allergenicity than the standard 85% and 95% purity grades of psyllium seed husk commonly used in a variety of laxatives and food products.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for separating seed coat material from psyllium seed husk to reduce the allergenicity of the psyllium seed husk.